1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus comprising a lateral movement means, e.g., an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine, a laser beam printer, or the like and, more particularly, to an image forming apparatus having a convey path which can control a widthwise position of a recording member (or sheet member) to be conveyed.
2. Related Background Art
As a means for controlling a widthwise position of a sheet member in a convey path of a conventional image forming apparatus (to be referred to as "lateral registration" hereinafter), as shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B, a sheet member (paper) P is urged against a lateral regist plate 51 serving as a reference plate by a compression spring 53 through a lateral regist plate 52, thereby achieving lateral registration.
Since the transfer paper P is pressed by the compression spring 53, however, when the pressing force of the compression spring 53 exceeds a hardness to bend of the transfer paper P, the transfer paper P is conveyed while being bent or wrinkled, as shown in FIG. 1B. As a result, lateral misregistration easily occurs.